This invention relates generally to identifying individuals, and more particularly, to methods and systems for ensuring that an individual is authorized to conduct an activity.
People conduct many different types of activities such as renting homes, staying at hotels and signing-into and out of work. Sometimes people are required to verify their identity prior to conducting an activity. It is known that when checking-in hotel operators typically check to ensure the identification of a guest matches reservation information. Likewise, home owners typically conduct background checks of potential renters and check that the identity of a renter matches the identification of the individual whose background was checked.
Some employees are required to sign-in and out of work using a time clock which prints arrival and departing times on a paper time card. More recently, business models have developed in which employees remotely sign-in and out using their smart devices. For example, ride sharing services permit drivers to remotely sign-in and out when starting and ending a shift. Due to customer safety concerns, ride sharing services typically subject driver applicants to a thorough background check. Applicants who pass the background check may be authorized as drivers while those who do not pass are not authorized. Ride sharing services also subject vehicles to a thorough inspection prior to approving use of a vehicle. Vehicles that pass the inspection may be used as vehicles in the ride sharing service.
Although individuals may remotely sign-in before starting an activity, individuals typically are not required to sign-in after starting the activity. Some authorized individuals, after signing-in, have been known to collude with unauthorized individuals such that an unauthorized individual conducts an activity instead of an authorized individual. Such collusion may result in individuals who are possibly dangerous, or lack the proper temperament for conducting an activity, endangering others. Similar types of collusion may result in unknown individuals damaging vacation rentals or hotel rooms, and/or increasing the danger to other hotel patrons or renters. Such dangers may increase legal liability for individuals and businesses hosting activities as well as damage their reputations which causes reduced business and increases expenses to recapture lost business.